China has begun developing a new generation of attack helicopters which will have stealth abilities. This is expected to start delivery to the Chinese armed forces by about 2020, the official China Daily newspaper said on Friday.
The helicopter is being developed by Aviation Industry Corp of China (AVIC), one of the country’s leading arms manufacturers, the state-run English-language publication said. Its stealth capabilities will “reshape the combat patterns” of the People’s Liberation Army, company chairman Lin Zuoming was quoted as saying.
It is a trend that the ground force will become increasingly dependent on helicopters because they have better strike capability and mobility than armoured vehicles, and transport supplies to frontier troops.
– Lin Zuoming, Chairman, Aviation Industry Corp of China
The company’s chief helicopter designer, Wu Ximing, said the aircraft would have “supreme maneuverability in complicated environments, outstanding survivability and joint operation ability”, the report added.
President Xi Jinping has pushed to toughen and modernise the country’s 2.3 million-strong armed forces.
That has included developing a series of high-tech weapons, including stealth jets, aircraft carriers and emerging technology aimed at shooting down satellites.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)